User identity and local data changedthird-party/claude-desktop/data-storage
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169169## Move a user to a new device
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171On devices that get their managed configuration from MDM, you can move a user to a new device by copying their data. The copy moves:
171On devices that get their configuration from MDM or from the [Enterprise Admin Console](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/admin-console.md), you can move a user to a new device by copying their data. The copy moves:
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173173* Chats, Cowork tasks, and Code sessions
174174* Projects, project instructions, and memory
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193193
194194* The same platform (macOS, Windows, or Linux) and CPU architecture as the old device
195195* The same OS user name and home-directory path. Otherwise, Code sessions, scheduled tasks, plugins, and project folders stop working.
196* The managed configuration, with the same [`deploymentOrganizationUuid`](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/configuration#deploymentorganizationuuid), in place before Claude Desktop launches
196* The same organization as the old device:
197 * **MDM**: the managed configuration, with the same [`deploymentOrganizationUuid`](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/configuration#deploymentorganizationuuid), in place before Claude Desktop launches
198 * **Enterprise Admin Console**: no managed configuration to deploy. When the app asks the user to sign in to Claude, they use the same account and organization as on the old device.
199* Anything on the device that your configuration relies on for credentials, set up as on the old device. For example, a [credential helper](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/credential-helper.md) or other helper script, an [AWS named profile](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/bedrock.md#named-profile), or a [Google Cloud credentials file](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/vertex.md#credentials-file).
197200* The same Claude Desktop version, or a newer one
198201
199202### Copy the data to the new device
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202205>
203206> The copy holds full conversations. Encrypt any intermediate copy, restrict access to it, and delete it when you're done.
204207
2051. Quit Claude Desktop on both devices. Closing its window isn't enough.
2081. Quit Claude Desktop on both devices, without signing out. Closing its window isn't enough.
2062092. If the new device has an application-data directory (see [Where data lives](#where-data-lives)), delete it. This removes anything the user created in it.
2072103. Copy these to the same paths. On Windows, use a copy tool that supports paths longer than 260 characters.
208211 * The application-data directory, except these files in it, which the app creates again when it needs them:
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218221 * `~/.claude/` and `~/.claude.json`
219222 * The folders and repositories that the user's projects, scheduled tasks, and Code sessions use
2202234. Make the user the owner of the copied files, with read and write access. Give no other user account access to the application-data directory, `~/Claude/` or `~/Documents/Claude/`, `~/.claude/`, or `~/.claude.json`.
2215. Have the user launch Claude Desktop, sign in if the app asks, and confirm that their chats, Cowork tasks, Code sessions, and projects appear. If they don't, check that the managed configuration has the old device's `deploymentOrganizationUuid` and that the user owns the copied files. Soon after launch, a scheduled task runs once if it recently missed a run.
2245. Have the user launch Claude Desktop, sign in if the app asks, and confirm that their chats, Cowork tasks, Code sessions, and projects appear. If any are missing, check that:
225 * The user owns the copied files
226 * The [`ant-did`](#identity) file in the application-data directory has the same contents as on the old device. If it doesn't, start again from step 1.
227 * With MDM, the managed configuration has the old device's `deploymentOrganizationUuid`
228 * With the Enterprise Admin Console, the account menu at the bottom of the sidebar shows the same organization as on the old device. If it shows another name, look for a managed profile that [keeps the device off the admin console](https://claude.com/docs/third-party/claude-desktop/admin-console.md#keep-a-device-on-its-managed-profile). If you find one, remove it, then have the user relaunch Claude Desktop and sign in. Otherwise, have the user choose your organization from the account menu and sign in.
2222296. Have the user [set up what the copy doesn't move](#what-the-user-sets-up-again).
2237. If the old device stays in use, its enabled scheduled tasks run on both devices. Retire the old device, or turn off its scheduled tasks in Claude Desktop there. To remove the user's data from it, see [Removing data](#removing-data).
2307. Soon after launch on the new device, a scheduled task runs once if it recently missed a run. If the old device stays in use, its enabled scheduled tasks run on both devices. Retire the old device, or turn off its scheduled tasks in Claude Desktop there. To remove the user's data from it, see [Removing data](#removing-data).
224231
225232## Removing data
226233
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